Gastrointestinal methods and apparatus for use in treating disorders and controlling blood sugar

Abstract

A method of glucose level control comprising providing at least one electrode adapted to apply an electric field to a pancreas; and applying an electric field to the pancreas using said at least one electrode such that blood glucose levels are significantly reduced and blood insulin levels are not significantly increased compared to a regular insulin response in a same person.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus, comprising:
 a plurality of electrodes, configured to be fixed to a stomach of a patient; and 
 a control unit, configured to:
 drive, even in an absence of a detection of eating by the patient, the plurality of electrodes to apply to the stomach a first signal, and configure the first signal to reduce a blood glucose level of the patient, and 
 drive, responsive to a detection of eating by the patient, the plurality of electrodes to apply to the stomach a second signal, different from the first signal, and configure the second signal to treat obesity of the patient, 
 
 wherein the plurality of electrodes driven to apply the first signal is identical with the plurality of electrodes driven to apply the second signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to configure the first signal to comprise an ETC signal. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to configure the second signal to comprise an ETC signal. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to drive the plurality of electrodes to apply the first and the second signals at different times. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to be fixed to an antrum of the stomach. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises at least two pairs of electrodes, configured to be fixed to the antrum. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises at least four pairs of electrodes, configured to be fixed to the antrum. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein one of the pairs is configured to be fixed to a posterior portion of the antrum, and wherein another one of the pairs is configured to be fixed to an anterior portion of the antrum. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least two pairs of electrodes are configured to be fixed to the antrum in a longitudinal orientation with respect to a curved long axis of the stomach. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least two pairs of electrodes are configured to be fixed to the antrum in a perpendicular orientation with respect to a curved long axis of the stomach. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least two pairs of electrodes are configured to be fixed to the antrum in a mixed orientation with respect to a curved long axis of the stomach. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least two pairs of electrodes comprise a first pair and a second pair of electrodes, configured to be fixed to the antrum at different respective orientations with respect to a curved long axis of the stomach. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus, comprising:
 a set of electrodes, configured to be implanted at an implantation site in a patient selected from the group consisting of: a stomach of the patient, and an intestinal site of the patient; and 
 a control unit, configured to:
 drive a first subset of the set of electrodes to apply a first signal to the site, and configure the first signal to reduce a blood glucose level of the patient, and to have a first frequency component, and 
 drive a second subset of the set of electrodes to apply to the site a second signal, different from the first signal, and configure the second signal to treat obesity of the patient, and to have a second frequency component different from the first frequency component. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to drive the second subset to apply the second signal having the second frequency component without driving the second subset to apply a pacing pulse to the implantation site prior to applying the second signal. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to configure the first signal having the first frequency component to be non-excitatory. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to configure the second signal having the second frequency component to be non-excitatory. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to drive the first subset to alternate application to the implantation site of (a) a pacing pulse and (b) the first signal having the first frequency component. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the control unit is configured to initiate applying the first signal having the first frequency component within 500 ms following the pacing pulse. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the first subset and the second subset comprise at least one electrode in common. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the first subset and the second subset are identical. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the first subset and the second subset have no electrodes in common. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the control unit is configured to drive the first and the second subsets of electrodes at different times. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the first frequency component is smaller than the second frequency component. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the first frequency component is less than 10 Hz, and wherein the second frequency component is greater than 10 Hz. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the second frequency component is between 60 Hz and 100 Hz. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the first frequency component is less than half of the second frequency component. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the first frequency component is less than one fifth of the second frequency component. 
     
     
       28. A method, comprising: fixing at least two pairs of electrodes to a stomach site of a patient, in a longitudinal orientation with respect to a curved long axis of the stomach; and driving the electrodes to apply a first signal configured to treat diabetes and a second signal configured to treat obesity. 
     
     
       29. The method according  claim 28 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises driving the electrodes even in the absence of a detection of eating by the patient. 
     
     
       30. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises driving the electrodes responsive to a detection of eating by the patient. 
     
     
       31. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes to an antrum of the stomach of the patient. 
     
     
       32. The method according to  claim 31 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing at least four pairs of electrodes to the antrum. 
     
     
       33. The method according to  claim 31 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing one of the pairs to a posterior portion of the antrum and fixing another one of the pairs to an anterior portion of the antrum. 
     
     
       34. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein driving the electrodes to apply the signal comprises driving the electrodes to apply an ETC signal having a frequency component. 
     
     
       35. The method according to  claim 34 , wherein driving the electrodes to apply the ETC signal comprises driving the electrodes to apply the ETC signal without driving the electrodes to apply a pacing pulse to the implantation site prior to applying the ETC signal. 
     
     
       36. The method according to  claim 34 , comprising driving the electrodes to alternate application to the stomach site of (a) a pacing pulse and (b) the ETC signal. 
     
     
       37. The method according to  claim 36 , comprising initiating applying the ETC signal within 500 ms following the pacing pulse. 
     
     
       38. The method according to  claim 34 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises setting the frequency component to be less than 10 Hz. 
     
     
       39. The method according to  claim 34 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises setting the frequency component to be greater than 10 Hz. 
     
     
       40. A method, comprising:
 fixing at least two pairs of electrodes to a stomach site of a patient, in a perpendicular orientation with respect to a curved long axis of the stomach; and 
 driving the electrodes to apply a first signal configured to treat diabetes and a second signal configured to treat obesity. 
 
     
     
       41. The method according to  claim 40 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises driving the electrodes even in the absence of a detection of eating by the patient. 
     
     
       42. The method according to  claim 40 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises driving the electrodes responsive to a detection of eating by the patient. 
     
     
       43. The method according to  claim 40 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes to an antrum of the stomach of the patient. 
     
     
       44. The method according to  claim 43 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing at least four pairs of electrodes to the antrum. 
     
     
       45. The method according to  claim 43 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing one of the pairs to a posterior portion of the antrum and fixing another one of the pairs to an anterior portion of the antrum. 
     
     
       46. The method according to  claim 40 , wherein driving the electrodes to apply the signal comprises driving the electrodes to apply an ETC signal having a frequency component. 
     
     
       47. The method according to  claim 46 , wherein driving the electrodes to apply the ETC signal comprises driving the electrodes to apply the ETC signal without driving the electrodes to apply a pacing pulse to the stomach site prior to applying the ETC signal. 
     
     
       48. The method according to  claim 46 , comprising driving the electrodes to alternate application to the stomach site of (a) a pacing pulse and (b) the ETC signal. 
     
     
       49. The method according to  claim 48 , comprising initiating applying the ETC signal within 500 ms following the pacing pulse. 
     
     
       50. The method according to  claim 46 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises setting the frequency component to be less than 10 Hz. 
     
     
       51. The method according to  claim 46 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises setting the frequency component to be greater than 10 Hz. 
     
     
       52. A method, comprising:
 fixing at least two pairs of electrodes to a stomach site of a patient, in a mixed orientation with respect to a curved long axis of the stomach; and 
 driving the electrodes to apply a first signal configured to treat diabetes and a second signal configured to treat obesity. 
 
     
     
       53. The method according to  claim 52 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises driving the electrodes even in the absence of a detection of eating by the patient. 
     
     
       54. The method according to  claim 52 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises driving the electrodes responsive to a detection of eating by the patient. 
     
     
       55. The method according to  claim 52 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes to an antrum of the stomach of the patient. 
     
     
       56. The method according to  claim 55 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing at least four pairs of electrodes to the antrum. 
     
     
       57. The method according to  claim 55 , wherein fixing the at least two pairs of electrodes comprises fixing one of the pairs to a posterior portion of the antrum and fixing another one of the pairs to an anterior portion of the antrum. 
     
     
       58. The method according to  claim 52 , wherein driving the electrodes to apply the signal comprises driving the electrodes to apply an ETC signal having a frequency component. 
     
     
       59. The method according to  claim 58 , wherein driving the electrodes to apply the ETC signal comprises driving the electrodes to apply the ETC signal without driving the electrodes to apply a pacing pulse to the stomach site prior to applying the ETC signal. 
     
     
       60. The method according to  claim 58 , comprising driving the electrodes to alternate application to the stomach site of (a) a pacing pulse and (b) the ETC signal. 
     
     
       61. The method according to  claim 60 , comprising initiating applying the ETC signal within 500 ms following the pacing pulse. 
     
     
       62. The method according to  claim 58 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises setting the frequency component to be less than 10 Hz. 
     
     
       63. The method according to  claim 58 , wherein driving the electrodes comprises setting the frequency component to be greater than 10 Hz.